SINGAPORE: Singapore's airport police have warned potential criminals to not "take chances" on board aircrafts, amid the growing spectre of in-flight theft.
Airlines in Asia-Pacific have raised concern over the issue in recent months and some jurisdictions have seen a rise in cases.
Hong Kong recorded 207 cases of crime on flights bound for the city in the first 10 months of 2024, a 75 per cent increase over the same period the previous year, according to South China Morning Post in November.
Japanese newspaper The Mainichi last Thursday (Jan 2) reported that Tokyo's Narita International Airport dealt with 19 cases of in-flight theft from January to October 2024, compared with seven in the same period in 2023.
In response to queries from CNA, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that between January 2023 and September 2024, there were four cases of persons charged with theft on board an aircraft.
One case involved a man who stole the equivalent of about S$120,000 (US$88,700) from a jeweller on a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight in March 2024.
The issue was discussed in November during the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Annual Assembly of Presidents.
AAPA director-general Subhas Menon told CNA that the challenge of combatting in-flight theft lies in “jurisdictional gaps”.
There are regulations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on how to deal with in-flight theft, but not all jurisdictions abide by it, said Mr Menon, calling on more states to take responsibility for prosecuting offenders.
Singapore has ratified and passed into its own legislation ICAO regulations pertaining to tackling in-flight theft, said aviation law experts.
These are spelled out in the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, also known as the 1963 Tokyo Convention.
The National University of Singapore's law school professor Alan Tan said however that the issue with the Tokyo Convention, even after a 2014 update, is that it was “never meant to deal with small-time criminals like thieves”.
“Its main purpose is to deal with perpetrators who jeopardise the safety of the aircraft or the good order and discipline on board,” said Prof Tan.
“As such, it applies to more serious offences like unruly behaviour, violence against fellow passengers or crew and of course, unlawful acts such as hijacking.”
Nevertheless, he said Singapore's laws on theft would apply to Singapore-registered aircraft such as those operated by Singapore carriers SIA, Scoot and Jetstar Asia - wherever they may be flying.
If the flight's destination is Singapore, an on-board perpetrator may be handed over to local authorities upon landing.
But if the theft occurs on a flight headed outside of Singapore, it will depend on whether the receiving country is prepared to apprehend and prosecute the offender, said Prof Tan.
“The main problem here is whether the destination country cares about the issue enough - many countries don't with regard to petty crimes."
There is also the scenario of foreign-registered aircraft flying into Singapore, and whether local authorities will apprehend and prosecute a thief for a crime that very likely occurred outside Singapore airspace.
Prof Tan said the Tokyo Convention Act states that Singapore’s Public Prosecutor must consent to take up proceedings, and so it is “up to the Attorney-General's Chambers' discretion”.
At least one recent case saw a credit card thief on board Malaysian-registered AirAsia being charged, he noted. “So, we do have precedent."
SPF told CNA that where the facts and circumstances warrant a police investigation to be conducted, the police will do so.
“The investigation generally includes receiving a report, conducting interviews and statement recording, gathering of evidence, and referring the case to the Attorney-General's Chambers for prosecutorial action,” said a spokesperson.
Associate Professor Jae Woon Lee from the Chinese University of Hong Kong's law faculty pointed however to the difficulty of finding evidence when it comes to in-flight theft.
“Only when the crew directly witnesses the suspect taking something out of someone else's possession, or when the theft victim witnesses the scene, airlines report to the police,” he said.
He added that communal luggage space in overhead compartments was a “big challenge and unique factor” here.
“A thief can easily say that ‘I am checking my belongings’ when being suspected of stealing.”
SPF said the airport police "will continue to work hand-in-hand with the airlines to keep our passengers, cabins and aircrafts safe and secure.”
The spokesperson added that airlines and passengers can also play their part in preventing and deterring theft onboard aircraft.
For one, airlines can regularly remind passengers - prior to take-off and during flight services - to keep valuables with them and not in the overhead compartments, and to also be vigilant of their surroundings.
“The airline crew should keep a lookout for suspicious behaviour, for example, persons rummaging through bags not near where they sit; and concurrently monitor persons’ interactions discreetly when required and report the matter to their supervisor,” said SPF.
AAPA's Menon cautioned that flight crew are not law enforcement personnel and "will be hard pressed to apprehend and detain thieves as that is not their calling”.
For passengers, baggage should be locked and kept in line of sight, and any suspicious behaviour should be reported immediately to the airline crew, said SPF.
Responding to queries from CNA, SIA said it advises customers to safeguard their valuables at all times.
“Our cabin crew are trained to be vigilant and to alert authorities of any suspicious behaviour on board our flights,” a spokesperson said.
“Should there be a suspected theft case, SIA will assist the customer who wishes to file a report, and will cooperate fully with the authorities in their investigations.”
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Airlines in Asia-Pacific have raised concern over the issue in recent months and some jurisdictions have seen a rise in cases.
Hong Kong recorded 207 cases of crime on flights bound for the city in the first 10 months of 2024, a 75 per cent increase over the same period the previous year, according to South China Morning Post in November.
Japanese newspaper The Mainichi last Thursday (Jan 2) reported that Tokyo's Narita International Airport dealt with 19 cases of in-flight theft from January to October 2024, compared with seven in the same period in 2023.
In response to queries from CNA, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that between January 2023 and September 2024, there were four cases of persons charged with theft on board an aircraft.
One case involved a man who stole the equivalent of about S$120,000 (US$88,700) from a jeweller on a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight in March 2024.
The issue was discussed in November during the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Annual Assembly of Presidents.
AAPA director-general Subhas Menon told CNA that the challenge of combatting in-flight theft lies in “jurisdictional gaps”.
There are regulations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on how to deal with in-flight theft, but not all jurisdictions abide by it, said Mr Menon, calling on more states to take responsibility for prosecuting offenders.
Related:
WHAT IS SINGAPORE'S POSITION?
Singapore has ratified and passed into its own legislation ICAO regulations pertaining to tackling in-flight theft, said aviation law experts.
These are spelled out in the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, also known as the 1963 Tokyo Convention.
The National University of Singapore's law school professor Alan Tan said however that the issue with the Tokyo Convention, even after a 2014 update, is that it was “never meant to deal with small-time criminals like thieves”.
“Its main purpose is to deal with perpetrators who jeopardise the safety of the aircraft or the good order and discipline on board,” said Prof Tan.
“As such, it applies to more serious offences like unruly behaviour, violence against fellow passengers or crew and of course, unlawful acts such as hijacking.”
Nevertheless, he said Singapore's laws on theft would apply to Singapore-registered aircraft such as those operated by Singapore carriers SIA, Scoot and Jetstar Asia - wherever they may be flying.
If the flight's destination is Singapore, an on-board perpetrator may be handed over to local authorities upon landing.
But if the theft occurs on a flight headed outside of Singapore, it will depend on whether the receiving country is prepared to apprehend and prosecute the offender, said Prof Tan.
“The main problem here is whether the destination country cares about the issue enough - many countries don't with regard to petty crimes."
There is also the scenario of foreign-registered aircraft flying into Singapore, and whether local authorities will apprehend and prosecute a thief for a crime that very likely occurred outside Singapore airspace.
Prof Tan said the Tokyo Convention Act states that Singapore’s Public Prosecutor must consent to take up proceedings, and so it is “up to the Attorney-General's Chambers' discretion”.
At least one recent case saw a credit card thief on board Malaysian-registered AirAsia being charged, he noted. “So, we do have precedent."
SPF told CNA that where the facts and circumstances warrant a police investigation to be conducted, the police will do so.
“The investigation generally includes receiving a report, conducting interviews and statement recording, gathering of evidence, and referring the case to the Attorney-General's Chambers for prosecutorial action,” said a spokesperson.
Associate Professor Jae Woon Lee from the Chinese University of Hong Kong's law faculty pointed however to the difficulty of finding evidence when it comes to in-flight theft.
“Only when the crew directly witnesses the suspect taking something out of someone else's possession, or when the theft victim witnesses the scene, airlines report to the police,” he said.
He added that communal luggage space in overhead compartments was a “big challenge and unique factor” here.
“A thief can easily say that ‘I am checking my belongings’ when being suspected of stealing.”
Related:
WHAT CAN PASSENGERS AND AIRLINES DO?
SPF said the airport police "will continue to work hand-in-hand with the airlines to keep our passengers, cabins and aircrafts safe and secure.”
The spokesperson added that airlines and passengers can also play their part in preventing and deterring theft onboard aircraft.
For one, airlines can regularly remind passengers - prior to take-off and during flight services - to keep valuables with them and not in the overhead compartments, and to also be vigilant of their surroundings.
“The airline crew should keep a lookout for suspicious behaviour, for example, persons rummaging through bags not near where they sit; and concurrently monitor persons’ interactions discreetly when required and report the matter to their supervisor,” said SPF.
AAPA's Menon cautioned that flight crew are not law enforcement personnel and "will be hard pressed to apprehend and detain thieves as that is not their calling”.
For passengers, baggage should be locked and kept in line of sight, and any suspicious behaviour should be reported immediately to the airline crew, said SPF.
Responding to queries from CNA, SIA said it advises customers to safeguard their valuables at all times.
“Our cabin crew are trained to be vigilant and to alert authorities of any suspicious behaviour on board our flights,” a spokesperson said.
“Should there be a suspected theft case, SIA will assist the customer who wishes to file a report, and will cooperate fully with the authorities in their investigations.”
Continue reading...